Nigeria’s basketball team, D’Tigers, have lost their Group B opener at the Tokyo Olympics game to Australia by 84-65 on Sunday morning at Saitama.

The Boomers edged D’Tigers again after both teams recently faced off in an exhibition game in Las Vegas, with the Aussies claiming an emphatic 108-69 win over the Nigerians.

Mike Brown’s men who blazed past USA and Argentina in the pre-tournament exhibition put up a not-so-impressive display and fell to the free-flowing Aussies by 19 points as Patty Mills starred with a team-high 25 points, six assists, four rebounds and four steals, while Joe Ingles and Dante Exum added 11 points apiece for the Boomers.

D’Tigers held the Aussies in the first quarter as both teams ended with 23 points apiece but dropped the pace in the second quarter to lose by a three-point difference ending 10-17.

Nigeria’s game was marred by a series of missed three-pointers and freethrows which the Boomers were able to capitalise on as they won the third quarter by 15-12.

The Africans still had a quarter to get back into the game but the World no. 3 took the last quarter by 26-12 to end the game by 84-65 points.

The Nigerians face Germany on Wednesday for their second match.